The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-12-17
TEMPERANCE.
WHAT 1T HAS ALREADY DONE.
Tho Object and Work of the Uoman's
National Christian Temnerancp TTnion

Tho OBJECT and Work of the Woman's
National Christian Temperance Union.
This organization, with its thirty
eight auxiliary States and nine Terri
torial Unions, besides that of the Dis
trlct OF Columbia, is the largest society
ever composed exclusively of women,
and conducted entirely by them. 1t
has been organized in every State and
Territory of the nation, and locally in
about 10000 towns and cities. Great
Britain, Canada and Australia have
also organized. AS general estimate,
we think the number of local Unions in
the United States about 49, 600, includ-
ing Young Women's Christian Temper
ance Unions, with following of about
100000, besides numerous juvenile
organizations. This society is the
lineal defendant of the great Temper
ance Crusade of 1884, and is q union
OF Christian women for educating the
young, forming better public senti-
ment; reforming the drinking classes;
Transforming by the power of Divine
Grace those who are enslaved by
alcohol; and for securing the entire
abolition of the liquor traffic.
Its work is well known, being nom
sectarian, and comprised under the
general divisions of Preventive, Edu-
cational, Eyangelistic, Social and Le-
gal work, besides the Department of
Organization. Its auxiliaries have
been, confessedly, the chief factors in
State campaigns for local option, stat
utory prohibition and constitutional
amendment. 1t began the movement
for Scicn itic Temperance education
in the public schools, having been in
strumental in securing laws in seven
teen of the States, besides the only
Temperance legislation ever won from
Congress, by which all the Territories
and the District of Columbia are
brought under the same benefcent
statutes, and nearly one-half of the
children of America who are of school
age are to be regularly taught the eff
fects of alcoholics and other narcotics
upon the human system. The Ma
tional w. c. T. U. has united North
ern and Southern women in q common
work for God and Home and Native
Land, thus sweeping away the aliena-
ton of years, and replacing it Y sis
terly affection, tender and devoted.
1t has founded a publishing house
and Temperance paper, which are to-
day exercising an influence exceeded
by no similar agency in the Nation.
About $4,000, coo pages were printed
by the Woman's Temperance Publica-
ton Association last year.
The National Departm ents of Hered-
itary and Hygiene, which strike at
the very root of the alcohol delusion,
are OF great practical usefulness in the
homes Of the people. The work of the
w. c. t. U. among the children in
Sabbath-schools, Loyal Legions and
Kindergartens; its efforts to influence
college students and to train and or
ganize young men for philanthropy
ic life; its evangelistic work for the
non-church going class. for railway
employees, soldiers, sailors, lumbermen,
miners-especially for the drinking
men of all classes-all these have proved
the breadth of the comprehension and
the tirelessness of its zeal. Its efforts
to reach the pauper and the prisoner,
to establish reformatories and homes
for the wretched victims of inebriety
and their suffering children, and its
Temperance Flower Mission must ap-
peal to every true heart.
1t has permeated public sentiment
by its steady advances upon the press
through monthly and weekly temper
ance bulletins and it's countless lect-
ures and conventions. until the out
having of the saloon and the protec-
ton of the home have become the
watch-words of the people. and will
soon be the war-cry of Government
leaders.
In recent years it has bravely cham
pioned the cause of Social Purity and
the White Cross movement which
seeks to instruct the young manhood
of the nation, uplifting and preserving
it from the ways that take hold upon
death. 1t also strives to redeem out
cast women from slavery worse than
that of chains, and by better laws to
secure protection to women and girls
from the outrages of brutal men.
Baptist Weekly.